Joe,
What do you think about too much technology and illegal clubs?
Ted
Hi Ted,
Appendix II Section 4 of the official Rules state that the club must be plain in shape, yet some of the new putters look like Lunar Landing Modules, and they are deemed legal, so I think some of the rules are laughably inconsistent. I feel that if technology makes the game more enjoyable for you, then go for it. You just have to understand that if you ever want to play in formal competition, you must be careful to follow the rules. If you are just a recreational golfer, it really does not matter. Most putts are missed by misreading them, and no high tech putter will ever help that problem, even if you stroke the putt perfectly. Consider major league baseball allowing only wooden bats, but metal bats are allowed for all other levels. You can apply the same logic to golf. Unless you are playing in formal competition, use any kind of club you want and enjoy the game to the fullest.
Joe
Friday, July 02, 2004
hi joe,
I've recently changed my swing, making it simpler, with less thinking parts -- it's basically a straight head and spine, swing back and down. this has improved my consistency tremendously and i've managed to cut about 5 strokes off my score within the first 4 rounds of play. the only problem I have (other than putting, which is a constant) is with distances. The new swing, while accurate, is killing my judgement. as a guide, i've dropped about 15-25 yards a club from the 9 iron up. the pitching wedge is less severe, with only a 5-10 yard loss, so that's no issue. the other wedges I carry -- 51*, 56* and 60* -- have kept their usual distances. so i continue the upper body workout, and pushups, the core training and also work the quads for stability, and stretch like a cat out of bed. still no difference -- and to make matters worse, i now have jumping distances. it could be inaccurate distance markers, but i now occasionally get both my regular distance and the new swing loss of distance. The swing is not an upright swing ... neither is it flattish. it's about 45-50* at the top of my backswing. i used to hit my 7-iron 165-170yds. With the change and in spite of the training, i get anywhere from 143-150yds (when it low) to 170yds. i'm thinking that this new swing, while rhythmic and stable and accurate, is slow in swingspeed than its flattish predecessor (which causes the occasional pull/hook). which is the other thing i should bring up -- i still occasionally forget to focus and pull/hook the shot and the distances then are normal. So i guess the question i'm really asking is -- how do i increase swingspeed without compromising accuracy. like i've said, i've worked really hard each evening and i get no results. i've done religiously the simple dumbell drill that richard that advised some weeks back and while I feel stronger and more confident, i'm not seeing any results. and as you will surely concur, 143-150yds on a 7-iron is pathetic. i've lost even more distance with my driver ... from a regular 275-290 yds previously to only 230yds at best now. help please?!?
best regards,
cd
Hello CD,
Since I cannot see your swing, I can only suggest some possibilities. Your new swing has improved your scores despite your loss of distance, so your control must be vastly improved. Extra distance might cause you to lose that good control, but all of us golfers are never satisfied we want it ALL, right? Good for you, let’s see what we can do. First of all, you can call your current swing your “A” swing that you can always come back to when other “B” or “C” swing experiments might fail. I am assuming you are using the same clubs as before. If you are using different clubs, that might account for some or all of the distance loss. If that is not the case, your loss of distance could be “casting” or “hitting from the top”, which means your downswing uses up your wrist action too soon. Try delaying the wrist snap until the last possible instant before impact. Also make sure your lower body weight shift is aggressive, and extend your follow-thru fully.
Joe
I've recently changed my swing, making it simpler, with less thinking parts -- it's basically a straight head and spine, swing back and down. this has improved my consistency tremendously and i've managed to cut about 5 strokes off my score within the first 4 rounds of play. the only problem I have (other than putting, which is a constant) is with distances. The new swing, while accurate, is killing my judgement. as a guide, i've dropped about 15-25 yards a club from the 9 iron up. the pitching wedge is less severe, with only a 5-10 yard loss, so that's no issue. the other wedges I carry -- 51*, 56* and 60* -- have kept their usual distances. so i continue the upper body workout, and pushups, the core training and also work the quads for stability, and stretch like a cat out of bed. still no difference -- and to make matters worse, i now have jumping distances. it could be inaccurate distance markers, but i now occasionally get both my regular distance and the new swing loss of distance. The swing is not an upright swing ... neither is it flattish. it's about 45-50* at the top of my backswing. i used to hit my 7-iron 165-170yds. With the change and in spite of the training, i get anywhere from 143-150yds (when it low) to 170yds. i'm thinking that this new swing, while rhythmic and stable and accurate, is slow in swingspeed than its flattish predecessor (which causes the occasional pull/hook). which is the other thing i should bring up -- i still occasionally forget to focus and pull/hook the shot and the distances then are normal. So i guess the question i'm really asking is -- how do i increase swingspeed without compromising accuracy. like i've said, i've worked really hard each evening and i get no results. i've done religiously the simple dumbell drill that richard that advised some weeks back and while I feel stronger and more confident, i'm not seeing any results. and as you will surely concur, 143-150yds on a 7-iron is pathetic. i've lost even more distance with my driver ... from a regular 275-290 yds previously to only 230yds at best now. help please?!?
best regards,
cd
Hello CD,
Since I cannot see your swing, I can only suggest some possibilities. Your new swing has improved your scores despite your loss of distance, so your control must be vastly improved. Extra distance might cause you to lose that good control, but all of us golfers are never satisfied we want it ALL, right? Good for you, let’s see what we can do. First of all, you can call your current swing your “A” swing that you can always come back to when other “B” or “C” swing experiments might fail. I am assuming you are using the same clubs as before. If you are using different clubs, that might account for some or all of the distance loss. If that is not the case, your loss of distance could be “casting” or “hitting from the top”, which means your downswing uses up your wrist action too soon. Try delaying the wrist snap until the last possible instant before impact. Also make sure your lower body weight shift is aggressive, and extend your follow-thru fully.
Joe
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Hello,
In your golf tips one of the tips say “You are separating your hands at the top of the backswing.” How do you correct this, what do you look for at the top of the swing.??
Jimmy Walker
Hi Jimmy,
With a proper grip, I don’t see how the hands can separate at the top of the swing unless one of the hands is letting go of the club. Whatever grip style you are using, interlock, overlap, or ten-finger, try the other two to see if they are better suited for you. If the problem persists with all 3 grip types, there are a number of drills you can try. First, swing the club back and forth several times with one hand, and then the other. This should train your hand muscles to hang on to the club. Notice the amount of wrist break with each hand, because if you use too much wrist, that might cause one hand to slip a little. Next, try a normal backswing and stop at the top and check your hands for slipping. Get the feel for starting the downswing with good hand control. When you get the feel for that, the only purpose of the backswing is to arrive at that position. Good luck!
Joe
In your golf tips one of the tips say “You are separating your hands at the top of the backswing.” How do you correct this, what do you look for at the top of the swing.??
Jimmy Walker
Hi Jimmy,
With a proper grip, I don’t see how the hands can separate at the top of the swing unless one of the hands is letting go of the club. Whatever grip style you are using, interlock, overlap, or ten-finger, try the other two to see if they are better suited for you. If the problem persists with all 3 grip types, there are a number of drills you can try. First, swing the club back and forth several times with one hand, and then the other. This should train your hand muscles to hang on to the club. Notice the amount of wrist break with each hand, because if you use too much wrist, that might cause one hand to slip a little. Next, try a normal backswing and stop at the top and check your hands for slipping. Get the feel for starting the downswing with good hand control. When you get the feel for that, the only purpose of the backswing is to arrive at that position. Good luck!
Joe
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Joe,
I have played golf once per week for many years, so I should be getting better and better, but I am not. I should not be hitting as many poor shots as I do. I don’t understand why. Any ideas?
Tim
Hi Tim,
If you play once per week, but you do not practice in between, then it is not logical to assume that things will get better while you continue to do things the same way as always. Nothing is going to get better unless you change the way you do things. If you cannot get to a range in between rounds, just hit some wiffle balls at your local park. At least you ball striking should improve. Have a contest with your current grip against a different grip. Many people think the interlock grip is best just because it is used by Tiger and Jack, however many people find that the overlap works better, and the 10 finger grip works best, despite the perception that it is a beginner’s grip, which is a false perception. Some people are blessed with a lot of natural athletic ability, while others must work at it to get better. Set some realistic expectations. There are not very many low handicappers who play or practice only once per week. On a daily basis, you can do the simple drills shown in the Body Golf videos, and you will be on your way to improvement.
Joe
I have played golf once per week for many years, so I should be getting better and better, but I am not. I should not be hitting as many poor shots as I do. I don’t understand why. Any ideas?
Tim
Hi Tim,
If you play once per week, but you do not practice in between, then it is not logical to assume that things will get better while you continue to do things the same way as always. Nothing is going to get better unless you change the way you do things. If you cannot get to a range in between rounds, just hit some wiffle balls at your local park. At least you ball striking should improve. Have a contest with your current grip against a different grip. Many people think the interlock grip is best just because it is used by Tiger and Jack, however many people find that the overlap works better, and the 10 finger grip works best, despite the perception that it is a beginner’s grip, which is a false perception. Some people are blessed with a lot of natural athletic ability, while others must work at it to get better. Set some realistic expectations. There are not very many low handicappers who play or practice only once per week. On a daily basis, you can do the simple drills shown in the Body Golf videos, and you will be on your way to improvement.
Joe
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Monday, June 28, 2004
Joe,
I keep reading about how the speed of a green is measured with a Stimpmeter. How does this work, when did they start using this, and who invented it?
Jill
Hi Jill,
The Stimpmeter was conceived by Edward Stimpson back in the 1970’s, but was not accepted by the USGA until 1997. It’s really quite simple. The higher the number, the faster the green. 7 would be slow, 8 would be medium, and 9 would be fast. Tournament speeds are over 10. The device consists of a 36 inch aluminum rail with a notch (to hold a ball) 6 inches from one end. The rail is slowly raised until gravity releases the ball (at about 20 degrees elevation), sending it to roll the remaining 30 inches down the rail onto the green (at a fairly level place) and the roll distance is measured. This is repeated for the opposite direction, 3 balls for each direction. The middle ball for each direction is measured, and the average for both directions becomes the official reading, in feet, so if a green is “stimped” at 9.5, the ball must have rolled 9.5 feet.
Joe
I keep reading about how the speed of a green is measured with a Stimpmeter. How does this work, when did they start using this, and who invented it?
Jill
Hi Jill,
The Stimpmeter was conceived by Edward Stimpson back in the 1970’s, but was not accepted by the USGA until 1997. It’s really quite simple. The higher the number, the faster the green. 7 would be slow, 8 would be medium, and 9 would be fast. Tournament speeds are over 10. The device consists of a 36 inch aluminum rail with a notch (to hold a ball) 6 inches from one end. The rail is slowly raised until gravity releases the ball (at about 20 degrees elevation), sending it to roll the remaining 30 inches down the rail onto the green (at a fairly level place) and the roll distance is measured. This is repeated for the opposite direction, 3 balls for each direction. The middle ball for each direction is measured, and the average for both directions becomes the official reading, in feet, so if a green is “stimped” at 9.5, the ball must have rolled 9.5 feet.
Joe
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Joe,
I have one question for you. How I make good swing if my body only 165 cm high and 64 kg weight.
Thanx alot
Usman
Hello Usman,
Let’s see, if my math serves me right, you are about 5 feet 5 inches tall and you weigh about 140 pounds. There is no reason you cannot make a good swing no matter how tall or how short you happen to be. You can study the swings of shorter golfers like Gary Player, Ian Woosnam, or Corey Pavin, or you can study the mechanics of the LPGA players, who are living proof that your size is not a factor to be a good player. Another good choice, of course, would be to study the Body Golf videos.
Joe
I have one question for you. How I make good swing if my body only 165 cm high and 64 kg weight.
Thanx alot
Usman
Hello Usman,
Let’s see, if my math serves me right, you are about 5 feet 5 inches tall and you weigh about 140 pounds. There is no reason you cannot make a good swing no matter how tall or how short you happen to be. You can study the swings of shorter golfers like Gary Player, Ian Woosnam, or Corey Pavin, or you can study the mechanics of the LPGA players, who are living proof that your size is not a factor to be a good player. Another good choice, of course, would be to study the Body Golf videos.
Joe
